Trying to Survive (Part 3)

by Crowley,C. J.

  Jenny and I steadied ourselves and leaned against the back of the Explorer. After a few seconds it jerked backwards, but we were able to keep it from moving. Allen crawled out and switched places with Jenny. “You’re the lightest, so you steer and work the brakes.”

  “Okay, and I assume we’re backing it in so the high side is up against the wall?”

  “Definitely.”

  “Damn good idea, Allen.”

  I said “Yeah, I thought we were done.”

  “Well, don’t expect too much in the future. I only know a couple more tricks.”

  Jenny closed the door as quietly as she could and motioned for us to start pushing. After moved it forward a few feet, she leaned out of the window and whispered “I want to ride the brakes a little. This things been sitting for weeks. The squeal could give us away once we’re closer.”

  Just as she suspected, the first few times she pumped the brakes they made a little noise… That was a close call. We would have been fucked…

  Allen and I easily pushed the Explorer past the wall and then moved around to the front end so Jenny could back it up. Once she was close enough, Allen told her to hang tight and crawled back underneath the car.

  I took a few steps toward the street and checked our surroundings. There were countless different spots for someone to be waiting with a gun, so I kept watch until I heard Allen’s body scraping against the concrete as he slid out from under the Explorer.

  Jenny hopped out and eased the door shut, then Allen and I helped her climb onto the hood. She went to a crouched position and slowly raised herself up so she could look over the wall. “I don’t see anyone.”

  She climbed down and said “It’s still too light out. The guys standing watch at the entrance could spot us getting on the roof.”

  “Should only be another twenty minutes and they won’t be able to see shit.” Allen replied.

  Jenny sat down near the wall to keep herself hidden by the SUV, and we joined her. She whispered “Let’s just listen awhile and see if we can hear anything.”

  I did my best to concentrate on listening, but my mind wouldn’t allow it. Instead it began replaying everything that’s happened up until the moment Walt died.

  I was praying to hear Jenny say it was dark enough to move. I feared at any minute I could lose control, climb over the car, run around the side of the building and just start shooting. I knew they were all there waiting…

  When I started taking prolonged, deep breaths, Allen asked if I was alright. “I’m fine, just a little hopped up. But I’m good.”

  “It’s going to happen, James. Just a little while longer.” Jenny said in a soothing voice.

  I pressed my lips together and nodded. She added “Once they sit by the fire to eat we should be able to hear their voices. It’ll ensure none of them come wandering around this area and catch one of us on the ladder.”

  There was a light metallic clinking. I glanced around, but soon realized it was coming from the metal buckles and clips on my rifle strap. My hands were shaking.

  When I looked up, Allen was staring down at them. Jenny reached over and put her hand on mine to steady it. Allen said “Are you sure you’re alright?”

  “I’m fine… I’m just angry.” Do I really have to explain it? “I’m not scared or nervous, don’t worry. I’ll straighten up when the time comes… I’ve just had too much time to think for the last twenty minutes.”

  The sound of a glass bottle smashing against concrete got our attention. It was followed by the deep voice of a man, giving whoever it was that did it a hard time.

  Jenny excitably whispered “They sound drunk.”

  “And distracted.” Allen remarked.

  “Well, then let’s go. It’s definitely dark enough now. Whoever goes up first just has to make sure to peek over before you expose yourself… I should go last in case my leg acts up.” I turned to Allen. “Wouldn’t want you getting stuck behind me with all that weight if I have to rest my leg for a minute, or slow down.”

  Jenny climbed up on the hood and slowly looked over the wall. “We’re clear, let’s go.”

  I hesitated, worried that the drop to the other side would hurt my leg. I used both hands to lower myself down as far as I could go before I let myself drop, making it so I’d only fall about four feet instead of ten.

  The jolt of my weight hitting the concrete and the muscles in my calf absorbing the impact sent pain shooting throughout my leg. Luckily, by the time my eye widened it was almost gone.

  Jenny was already climbing, Allen adjusted the duffle bag so it would stay behind him and began making his way up. Knowing that if one of those people saw them they’d have an easy shot, I raised my rifle and waited for Allen to get near the top before I followed them up.

  Jenny hesitated for what felt like five seconds before she made her way up onto the roof. I assumed it meant men were still stationed atop the entrance and keeping watch. I came to stop when I reached the roof and slowly raised my head up so I could look around.

  Their backs were turned, so I quickly climbed up the rest of the way and got myself over the wall lining the roof. I ducked down, staying as low to the ground as possible and got to the other side with Jenny and Allen.

  The moment I was close enough to hear her whisper, Jenny said “Fuck, you scared me. What took so long, your leg?”

  “If one of them caught you two climbing up the ladder it would be such an easy shot to make. Wanted to make sure I could stop it.”

  Allen carefully unpacked the gasoline filled jars and lined them all near the wall. I could hear their voices and laughter coming from below, but I couldn’t make out most of what they were saying. We were rather high in the air, so I knew they had to be somewhat close by.”

  I asked “Have you looked down yet to see where they are?”

  Jenny shook her head. “I want to give it another minute. Those guys might head down to eat with the others… If not, we go with Allen’s plan.”

  Allen whispered “I’m ready. I swear to you I’ll take them both down before they have a chance to raise their rifles.”

  “I believe you. But if we have the chance to make it even easier, I want to take it… I’ll start counting down now. One minute.”

  I said “I can smell the food cooking.”

  Hearing them laughing made me start to tense up. It wasn’t the occasional laugh here and there. It was continuous and I heard more than a few of them taking part… How can they be so happy and carefree?

  I could barely wait for the moment their happiness and laughter would be suddenly interrupted by a burst of flames and a level of pain that surpasses their worst nightmares. When I produced the sounds of them screaming in my head, and imagined the shock and confusion they’d experience, I felt myself slightly smirk... It’s perfect…

  The moon was more than half full and the sky was lacking any clouds. It meant we could easily be spotted by the two men standing over the entrance if one of them decided to look back, even for a moment. After a long minute, Jenny approached the small wall and brought her eyes just above it. A few seconds went by before she quickly stood up and looked down to find our targets.

  “We’ll have to throw them about thirty feet to the left, but it should be easy.”

  Allen got ready to stand and Jenny stopped him. “James, take a look for yourself so you already know exactly where to throw. We need to pretty much do it at the same time.”

  The large fire made them stand out like a bright light in the middle of a dark room. They all had more food than most people could eat, the tables were covered in beer and liquor bottles and there was trash all over the ground.

  Their waste and disrespect made me further assume that they had nothing to do with killing all the shredders, cleaning out all the stores and building the walls. The few seconds I observed their behavior before Jenny pulled me back down told me it was all something they stole, not earned.

  She said “I think they’re close enough to where
we can use the big ones, don’t you?”

  I picked one of the larger jars up and felt the weight of it. “Yeah, shouldn’t be a problem.”

  Jenny and I crept to the corner of the building so we’d be as close to them as possible. Allen trained his rifle on the two men while doing his best to stay out of sight. Jenny and I each readied our jars, and I took out my lighter.

  Allen nodded and I quickly lit the two rags stuffed through the small holes in the cap of each jar. Jenny said “You take the farther table.”

  We raised up and I brought the jar above my head since Jenny was somewhat in my way. I waited to see the small flame leave her hands, and then threw mine, aiming for the center of the table.

  The explosions were far larger than I imagined. For a moment, they were all almost completely engulfed by the two balls of flames. As Allen began to fire, I watched them all frantically run in different directions and fall to the ground screaming as they tried to put themselves out.

  One of the men ran right into a wall and knocked himself out cold. As the seconds passed, the others grew still and silent – one by one. The small patches of fire continued to burn on their clothing. I could see the smoke rising from their faces and upper bodies.

  Jenny yelled out “It worked!”

  Allen walked beside me and I looked up to see one man lying dead on the platform area above the entrance. The other had fallen backwards and down to the ground.

  They both began celebrating and patting me on the back. Strangely, I felt nothing. It didn’t make me feel better at all. The joy I envisioned was nowhere to be found.

  I gazed down at their bodies again, hoping for even the slightest satisfaction… When I noticed one of them was still moving, I found myself heading for the ladder.

  Jenny and Allen both followed behind and she said “What are you doing? We should wait awhile to make sure they’re all really dead.”

  “One of them’s still alive. Don’t shoot him.”

  As I climbed over the wall and started heading down the ladder, Jenny and Allen both looked at each other, clearly wondering what I was planning.

  My fury caused me to rush and my foot slipped when I was about half way down. I held strong, and if anything, tried to climb down even faster.

  As Jenny and Allen climbed down, she yelled out “Be careful! There might be some we didn’t know about!”

  I ignored her warning and sprinted over to the man who was trying to crawl away. When I could see he was absolutely helpless, I raised my rifle and glanced around. After seeing nothing but still bodies, I walked up beside him and pushed him onto his back with my foot.

  His chest, arms and face were completely burned. My eyes thinned in horror as I realized that his sunglasses had been melted to his head. He reached out and began searching around with his hands. He’d been blinded by the flames and molten plastic.

  He barely choked out “Kill… me.”

  My mind went back to the day I was watching the wall through the scope. When I remembered he was one of the men who shot at the car, I felt something in me change.

  I clenched my fists for a few moments and then grabbed him by the leg. He was barely able to beg and cry as I dragged him back over by the tables and abruptly let go.

  Jenny and Allen ran up and she said “James, what are you doing!?”

  Allen pointed his rifle at the man and I snapped “Don’t you fuckin shoot him! He was up on the wall that day!”

  I growled through my teeth “He’s mine!”

  Jenny pushed Allen’s rifle down and began to plead with me. “Please, just shoot him James. He’s suffered enough. Look at him!”

  I took several steps and leaned down to pick up a half empty bottle of liquor that was sitting off to the side… He didn’t burn long enough…

  As I began to pour it over all of his burns, Allen wrapped his arms around me and pulled me away, causing me to drop the bottle. The man cried out in a way I’d never heard before, even when people were being eaten by shredders.

  Watching him write in agony calmed me down and I ceased struggling to break free from Allen. I didn’t even allow myself to blink and miss a second of Jenny putting the barrel of her rifle to his head. Her slight hesitation only allowed me to relish the moment even longer.

  When the shot rang out, I felt myself go limp to the point where Allen had to guide me down to the ground. I was hyperventilating, choking on my own spit and moments away from bursting into tears. I could feel all the emotions my anger was keeping at bay forcing their way out.

  I clenched my teeth and violently shook my head before I looked up at the stars and let out a long roar. Jenny collapsed next to me, put her arms around me and leaned her head on my shoulder. She said “Allen, go get Veronica and Clara. They’ve already been alone for too long.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “There’s no one else here. It’s over… Just go.”

  I did everything I could to stay there and allow Jenny to comfort me, but it wasn’t long before I pushed her away and rose to my feet.

  My right hand clutched my face as I continued to fight off the tears and stagger away from her. When I heard her following behind me, I waved her away and said “Please, I just need a minute.”

  I didn’t know where I was going – I just kept walking. My eye darted around, never actually focusing on anything, but I felt my breathing beginning to calm. Every inch of me tingled as I looked up at the night sky again and thought to myself… All this… All this for what? So he could die? So they could all die?

  I came to a stop when the ground suddenly became soft. When I looked down, I was more than surprised to see grass. It snapped me out of it and I finally began to see what was in front of me.

  At first glance, I saw a park, a playground and a path for joggers and people to walk their dogs. Then I saw the dozens of wooden crosses scattered around the clearing to my left. Each one stood at the head of a large patch of fresh dirt. Most were slightly mounded.

  Some of the crosses had jewelry, shoes or even pieces of clothing hanging from them, but most were bare. Jenny walked up next to me. “Is this why they shot at us?”

  I paused for quite some time before I answered her. “We’ll never know what really happened here.”

  “What do we say if other survivors show up? We can’t tell them what we did.”

  “We tell them to keep moving… Or we’ll kill them.”